The Orlando Magic joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1989. Like most expansion teams, their play was mediocre at first, but they staged a remarkably quick turnaround after drafting superstar center Shaquille O’Neal in 1992. With O’Neal on the roster, the team won 20 more games than the previous season. The team would continue to improve with point guard Anfernee (“Penny”) Hardaway joining the team in 1993.

The Orlando Magic qualified for its first playoff appearance in 1994, and advanced to the NBA Finals in 1995, just 6 years into their existence. The Magic were swept by the Houston Rockets in 4 games, but the team’s future seemed bright. At the end of the 1995–1996 season, however, Orlando Magic Ticket Holders had to say good-bye to “Shaq” who went to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic entered into a period of regular-season success followed by losses in the first round of the postseason, during which the franchise traded away the injury-plagued Hardaway.

Orlando Magic Ticket Holders saw the team make another turnaround in 2004 after adding center Dwight Howard and free-agent forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis to the roster. Behind the exceptional play of the star trio, the Magic once again advanced to the NBA finals during the 2008–2009 season, but lost to the Lakers in 5 games. Turkoglu left the team the following off-season, but the Magic had another strong campaign in the 2009–2010 season before ultimately losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Howard eventually left the Orlando Magic and the team continued to struggle in the second decade of the 2000s.

Orlando fans can get tickets to the Amway Center, the team’s home arena, from Golden Tickets.